Distribution of cytochrome oxidase and parvalbumin in the primary visual cortex of the adult and neonate monkey,Callithrix jacchus

The anatomical distributions of the mitochondrial enzyme cytochrome oxidase (CO) and of the calcium binding protein parvalbumin (PV) were studied in the striate cortex of adult and neonate New World monkeys (Callithrix jacchus). In the adult marmoset, both proteins were found in laminar arrangements similar to those described for the macaque monkey, with prominent bands of PV-like immunoreactive (PV-LI) puncta in layers IV and IIIb, and fairly evenly distributed PV-LI nonpyramidal neurons. Furthermore, the pattern of CO activity in area 17 of the neonate marmoset was almost identical to the CO pattern described in neonate macaque and squirrel monkeys. It came, therefore, as a surprise to find that the adult pattern of PV-like immunoreactivity (PV-LI) in the marmoset striate cortex arises from a neonatal pattern strikingly different from that seen in any developmental stage of the macaque, or in any other mammal studied so far. In the deep layers IV through VI of the neonate marmoset, a large number of PV-LI neurons was stained in bandlike patterns, their number in layers IV and V exceeding the number of PV-LI neurons present in these layers of the adult marmoset area 17. Staining of layers IV and VI was restricted to area 17 and involved nonpyramidal cells and their exceeding the number of PV-LI neurons present in these layers of the adult marmoset area 17. Staining of layers IV and VI was restricted to area 17 and involved nonpyramidal cells and their processes. The stained band of layer V, in contrast, continued throughout most of the neocortex. In area 17, an estimated 10 to 20% of the stained cells in layer V exhibited pyramidal shapes. The findings show that the expression of PV by visual cortical cells occurs before birth and suggest that the comparatively early onset of PV expression is not dependent on the onset of textured vision. The exuberant number of stained cells in some layers, and particularly the staining of pyramidal cells, in the neonate marmoset, suggest that a considerable number of cells possesses the stainability for PV-LI only transiently, i.e., in the marmoset, these cells have a specific demand for parvalbumin during this phase of their development. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Atypical Allergic Colitis in Preterm Infants

ABSTRACT. Two atypical cases of colitis due to cow's milk protein intolerance (CMPI) are reported, affecting preterm infants. One developed a toxic dilatation of the colon and responded well to a casein hydrolysate based feed. The second presented insidiously and failed to tolerate a casein hydrolysate, but responded well to a chicken-based modular feed.     

Chronic ethanol intake may delay the onset of gossypol-induced infertility in the male rat

Summary. Parameters were obtained from the reproductive organs of ethanol-fed, gossypol-treated Sprague Dawley rats. The experimental animals were fed either on a normal (15.17%) or low protein (8.00%) diet. Measurements included reproductive organ weights, seminal characteristics, serum concentration of testosterone and histological, stereological and histomorphometric evaluation of the testis. The testis size, length and diameter of the seminiferous tubule had the least values in the protein-malnourished, gossy-pol-treated rats (3.01±0.26 g, 0.56 ± 0.03 m, 281.34±11.30 μn), in comparison to corresponding animals which had received ethanol simultaneously with gossypol (3.40 ± 0.25, 0.71±0.06m, 314.42 ± 11.61 μn). As gossypol and ethanol are both associated with reduced reproductive capacity, this unexpected but interesting finding lends support to the hypothesis that either a normal dietary protein or ethanol consumption may modify the action of gossypol on body tissues, including the testis. This effect, presumably mediated through changes caused to the bioavailability of gossypol, modifies its antifertility activity. The present observation further highlights the need to consider the concurrent administration of other drugs, such as alcohol, and the nutritional status in the evaluation of gossypol for various potential uses.     

Effect of dipyridamole with or without aspirin on urine protein excretion in patients with membranous glomerulonephritis

Summary The antiproteinuric effect of the antiplatelet agent dipyridamole has been assessed after inhibiton of thromboxane B₂ (TxB₂) synthesis in 8 patients with confirmed membranous glomerulonephritis. There were three study periods, each of 30 days, and 45 days apart, namely a washout period, treatment with dipyridamole 300 mg/d, and dipyridamole 225 mg/d plus aspirin 150 mg/d. On Days 1 and 30 of each study period serum and urine creatinine, 24-h excretion of protein, creatinine clearance, platelet aggregometry on whole blood and serum TxB₂ were measured. Treatment with dipyridamole alone or with aspirin produced significant inhibition of platelet aggregation and a fall in 24-h protein excretion; the latter amounted to 54% with dipyridamole alone and 56 % with dipyridamole plus aspirin (NS). Dipyridamole plus aspirin caused an 82 % reduction in serum TxB₂.     

四种可溶性载体对骨形态发生蛋白在小鼠体内诱导成骨活性的影响

以四种可溶性物质作为牛骨形态发生蛋白（ｂＢＭＰ）的载体，通过实验观察哪种物质是ｂＢＭＰ的有效缓释载体。将聚乙烯吡咯烷酮（ＰＶＰ）、葡聚糖、羟乙基淀粉（ＨＥＳ）、甘露醇分别与等量ｂＢＭＰ复合后，注射入小鼠股部肌肉，观察组织学成骨及测定标本内钙含量。结果，ｂＢＭＰ／ＰＶＰ有良好成骨，吸收较快，未见炎症及排斥反应，其混悬液较稳定，具有良好的适针性及可注射性，ｂＢＭＰ／甘露醇只有很低成骨率。其余各组未见成骨。ＰＶＰ对ｂＢＭＰ具有满意助溶、助悬及缓释载体作用，对ｂＢＭＰ活性无损害，生物相容性好。     

Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease: Medical or surgical treatment? Report of an interactive workshop

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is the most common disease of the upper gastrointestinal tract. With the introduction of proton pump inhibitors medical treatment of GERD has been significantly improved. However, the development of laparoscopic antireflux surgery resulted in an increasing interest of surgeons in this disease. An interactive meeting was organized in order to develop an agreement between gastoenterologists and surgeons regarding therapeutic decisions and this is the main topic of this paper.     

Characterization of cell death events induced by anti-neoplastic drugs cisplatin, paclitaxel and 5-fluorouracil on human hepatoma cell lines: Possible mechanisms of cell resistance.

Two different hepatoma cell lines were incubated for 48h with chemotherapeutic drugs cisplatin, paclitaxel and 5-FU to determine their ability to induce cytotoxicity and DNA fragmentation as well as to modify the expression of some cell death-related genes that could be involved in the resistance to therapy. We observed that cisplatin and paclitaxel induced cytotoxicity, but significant differences between both cell lines, were found only in the case of paclitaxel. At 48h, apoptosis was clearly present in Hep3B cells treated with cisplatin and HepG2 cells treated with paclitaxel. 5-FU induced cytotoxicity in both cell lines but only at higher concentrations than the other two drugs, triggering apoptosis and necrosis in HepG2 cells and only necrosis in Hep3B. When a time course was performed for the first 8h of treatment to elucidate the initial mechanism of cell death responsible for DNA fragmentation, we observed that 5-FU in Hep3B, and cisplatin in both cell lines, induces primary necrosis, whereas at the concentration tested here, paclitaxel clearly triggers apoptosis in both cell lines. HepG2 cells were weakly sensitive to 5-FU in the first 8h of treatment, so the primary mechanism of cell death was not clear, but results seem to indicate that it could be apoptosis. At 48h, Bax was not up-regulated with any of the treatments, whereas cisplatin was able to induce Bcl-xL down-regulation in both cell lines. Treatment with 5-FU also down-regulated Bcl-xL in HepG2 cells. We also measured variations in the expression of survivin, an inhibitor of apoptosis that has also been involved in mitototic catastrophe. Hep3B cells seem to show an increase in protein levels with all treatments. Exposure to paclitaxel resulted in the highest effect. In the case of HepG2 cells, there was a decrease in survivin expression when cells were treated with 5FU and paclitaxel, both treatments showing complete loss of the protein. Using an antibody that recognizes unprocessed caspase-3, we observed that the enzyme was assumingly activated in HepG2 cells treated with 5FU and paclitaxel, but only weakly after treatment with cisplatin. Hep3B cells did not show activation since the levels of the pro-enzyme remained the same as that in the control. In conclusion, the three drugs tested in this study could induce cell death, with paclitaxel being more effective inducing apoptosis. 5FU was only effective at high doses and its mechanism seems to be primarily related to necrosis in Hep3B and probably apoptosis in HepG2. Cisplatin mechanism of cell death is probably mediated by the decrease in anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-xL whereas paclitaxel and 5FU are decreasing the apoptosis inhibitor survivin. According to pro-enzyme levels, caspase-3 was only activated in HepG2 cells, whereas in the case of Hep3B cells the mechanisms of toxicity appear to be caspase-3-independent at the time and concentrations tested in this study. The resistance of Hep3B cells to death induced by chemotherapy could be related to an increase in the expression of IAP survivin, which can decrease cell response to the treatment or even switch the type of death from apoptosis to another kind, making therapy less efficient.     

硬膜外腔阻滞对胸部手术应激反应的影响

目的 观察硬膜外腔阻滞对胸部手术应激激素和细胞因子的影响。方法20例食管癌手术病人,随机分为两组,每组10例,即全麻复令硬膜外腔阻滞(GEA)组和全麻(GA)组,分别测定麻醉诱导前、手术2h、手术4h、术毕、术后1d及术后3d的血浆去甲肾上腺素、肾上腺素、血清促肾上腺皮质激素(ACTH)、皮质醇、C-反应蛋白、IL-6及IL-10的水平。结果 血浆去甲肾上腺素和血清皮质醇GEA组术中术后无显著改变,但GA组术毕和术后1d显著升高(P<0.05),术后3d恢复至术前水平,组间比较前者有显著差异(P<0.05)。两组血浆肾上腺素、IL-10术中术后均无显著变化。两组血清ACTH、IL-6及CRP术中术后均显著升高(P<0.05),组间比较无显著差异。结论 硬膜外腔阻滞可以减轻胸部手术的应激反应。IL-6是较CRP更灵敏的反映组织损伤的炎性指标。